DUBAI: Debutants Multan Sultans secured a comfortable win by seven wickets against defending champions Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League opener held here on Thursday.
Senior player Kumar Sangakkara scored a 57-run innings, which included three boundaries and two sixes. Sultans' skipper Shoaib Malik showed his stellar performance with a 42-run knock off 30, scoring two sixes and two fours.
Speaking after the match, former Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara said: "I think the boys did really really well. We could have tightened it up a little bit, but Shoaib was just outstanding. He's such a great player."
"I think you need a good mixture of young talent and experience and we've got that. Hopefully, it'll get better," he said.
Second innings
Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed for a duck after he whipped a ball straight to deep fine leg. The opener had no control of the stroke he played on Wahab Riaz's delivery. Hammad Azam took the catch.
Zalmi, captained by the fan-favourite Windies all-rounder Darren Sammy, picked up the PSL trophy last year after defeating Quetta Gladiators in front of an electric crowd at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The team has retained the essence of its winning lineup, with Dwayne Bravo’s addition a further boost to the squad.
The Yellow Storm, however, is without Shahid Afridi, whose departure to Karachi Kings has left the team without its most popular player.
Multan Sultans, the sixth team in the PSL, are making their debut in this tournament, captained by the ever-steady Shoaib Malik. Their lack of experience is likely to be offset by their balanced lineup, with their key foreign player none other than spin wizard Imran Tahir.
Multan Sultans play their second match against Lahore Qalandars at 21:00 PST on Friday.
Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators face-off against each other in their first game of the tournament at 16:30 PST earlier the same day.
The tournament will continue throughout the months of February and March, with the final to be held in Karachi on March 25.
Source : www.geo.tv/
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